Geographer whose concept of ‘virtual water’ transformed thinking on trade, industry and agriculture
Tony Allan in 2015. His concept of ‘virtual water’ took account of the water consumed in producing food, clothing and industrial goods. Photograph: OSCE/Micky Kroell
Tony Allan in 2015. His concept of ‘virtual water’ took account of the water consumed in producing food, clothing and industrial goods. Photograph: OSCE/Micky Kroell
Fri 7 May 2021 11.34 EDT
The geographer Tony Allan, who has died aged 84, transformed the way governments and businesses think about water, with implications for everything from eating breakfast to international trade. He did it through devising the concept of virtual water – the water “embedded” through being consumed in the production of food, clothing and industrial goods.